Chapter Text
Nirei gets thrown out of Café Pothos.
There is no other way to explain it than that. After coming back from the storage room and taking a seat far away from a silent Sakura, Kotoha took Grandma Satou to the back to explain to her the situation regarding Sakura.
When they both got back, Grandma Satou had the most crushed, disappointed expression he has ever seen another person wear. And she was looking directly at him. Her stare was drilling holes into his conscience without him knowing what the cause was!
"Maybe you should go, Nirei," Kotoha told him, mouth set in a hard line.
Nirei had no other choice than to hightail it out of the café.
It was probably because of the thing with Sakura. In the storage room, she kept insisting that Sakura is a good guy who helped her and many others. Apparently, he defeated over twenty guys all by himself or something?
It is the first time he heard about that, though. If he had really defeated so many people in broad daylight, then Bofurin would have praised him, right? Instead, he heard that Bofurin told everyone to keep an eye on Sakura instead because of suspicion and manipulation.
When Nirei asked Kotoha if she had seen Sakura defeating so many people, she became stumped. The only thing she saw was her rescue and his help to the elderly. That fight with the twenty guys, the main street brawl, is, in the end, also under suspicion of manipulation as well as her rescue. Not very telling, in the end.
In addition, he did not want to tell Kotoha directly, but Bofurin also informed everyone that Kotoha seems to have a soft spot for Sakura because he saved her. Her opinion is biased, they said.
She's being used, some townsfolk whispered early in the morning.
Nirei can only hope Sakura will show his true colors soon, or else Kotoha will feel betrayed. Trying to convince her will hurt.
*
In an alley with five guys, knowing he will not win but finding himself that it does not matter because anyone with evil in their hearts will be purged by Bofurin without exception—it is the moment he hears a sound.
Over the laughter of the five guys, another voice drawls, "Karma is a bitch, I heard."
Nirei does not get the chance to react before the guy in front of him is ripped away with a choked grunt. "Guh–!"
Face planting on the ground, Nirei hurriedly looks up to spot the back of the outsider in a protective crouch and the other guy falling to the ground, totally out. "You...!"
"W-What the–?!"
"Haven't you heard him?" Sakura asks sarcastically, throwing a thumb over his shoulder. His other hand stays in his pocket. "Purged without exception. You've been warned."
"Hah?" the guy with the cap makes an incredulous sound, hands balling into fists. "What the hell? Bofurin now sends their reinforcements alone? You're nuts!"
Sakura takes his hand from his pocket. The atmosphere around him chills.
From his position, Nirei cannot see what face Sakura is making at the guys, but he is able to observe how their faces rapidly pale, beginning to sweat as if in front of hellfire. "H-Hey..." one of the others mumbles quietly, twitching nervously.
"Bofurin are protectors first," Sakura states coldly. "Leave."
Miraculously, they leave.
Sakura spins on his heel, rapidly beginning to approach him with a blank face. Nirei flinches in fear when only five feet hold them apart, bracing for impact and clenching his eyes shut. "...!"
"Ah," the other boy says, sounding apologetic and... hurt? "...Sorry. Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine..." he manages to reply with a bowed head, shivering as no footsteps sound to indicate distance. Why is he just standing there? Is he expecting something? Gratitude, probably? "...Thanks for scaring 'em away."
"...You're welcome." A short lull in silence. "The way you declared that Bofurin will purge 'em was also... kinda cool, by the way."
Warmth rushes into his veins. "T-Thanks..."
Then, Sakura proceeds to not say anything and not go on his way.
Nirei feels his heartbeat roar in his chest as the minutes tick by in silence. Perhaps... the other was expecting something more than a thanks? Money? He saved him from these guys, sparing him lots of bruises. "I, um," he stutters shakily, "have no m–"
"Hey, Nirei," Sakura calls abruptly, voice rising in volume, "did you come back with me?"
"W-What? Come back to where?"
The other clicks his tongue. He emphasizes his next words with an almost pained, heavy undertone, "To here."
Nirei raises his head up in surprise and confusion.
Sakura stands in front of him with balled fists, body tense like a spring. He is scowling darkly, but not unfriendly or aggressive, more like... almost nervous. Scared. It is astonishing how easy he is to read. "Well?" he prompts impatiently and taps his foot.
Ah. Right. "I don't... know what you're talking about," Nirei admits slowly, instantly regretting his words when Sakura's previous expression falls into one of alarming blankness. Hastily, his survival instincts kick in and he blurts out, "Y-You probably meant going back to Café Pothos, right? I have something to do, so I can't!"
"...I see," Sakura replies softly.
Nirei takes the opportunity and books it out of the alley.
*
"Hey! You!"
Nirei whirls around in fear, only for the girl from before to take a hold of his shoulder. "Huh! It's you..."
"Are you all right?" she asks worriedly and squeezes his shoulder. "I didn't get to thank you!"
"Huh? No, yes, I-I'm totally fine!" He gestures wildly around, feeling his face warm at her gentle touch. Yikes! "S-Someone came and scared 'em away..."
She smiles, relieved. "Phew! Your classmate worried me for a second there! I thought, when I saw him watching you, that he will totally help you, but he waited so long!"
Nirei feels his blood turn to ice. "My classmate? He watched me and waited?" he questions tentatively, his own words feeling far away.
Sakura complimented him. Told him it was cool. Or was it only empty words?
She's being used, the townsfolk whispered.
"Yes, black-white hair, I saw him looking into the alley while I was searching for help," she confirms cheerfully. "I was scared he'll never cut in! What if you were injured?"
Nirei feels sick.
"I gotta go."
*
Standing in front of an unsmiling Umemiya Hajime is not how Nirei has envisioned himself meeting the Furin representative. And on his first day in Furin High, no less!
At least, the girl he helped is now able to go back to work after telling everything she saw to Umemiya.
"So," the upperclassman says neutrally.
"So?" Hiragi Toma, his catatonic inner fanboy screeches loudly, repeats flatly. "They say the third time's the charm, don't they?"
Umemiya sighs and scratches his head. "Don't bring superstition into this. Telling everyone about him already went too far."
"Tsubakino insisted," Hiragi offers in lieu of an explanation and pops some kind of pill into his mouth.
"It isn't right," Umemiya argues quietly, squeezing his hands together, "for us to judge him so early. Even if it is like that, everyone deserves a second chance, Hiragi."
"Are you saying this because he helped Grandpa Yama and Grandma Satou or because Kotoha-chan likes him?"
The other snorts. "Can you blame me? Kotoha is a great judge of character."
Hiragi only wordlessly rolls with his eyes, expressing clear annoyance.
"Anyway." Umemiya turns to Nirei, suddenly all smiles. He gently slaps a hand on his shoulder. "Nirei, thanks for informing us over this. We would've never found out about this otherwise!"
Flushing, Nirei laughs awkwardly. "It was nothing...! I'm happy I could help!"
"Having a reliable younger brother like you puts me at ease!" Umemiya brushes a hand through blond hair, ruffling the locks lightly. Nirei finds himself blushing furiously as the most respected person in Furin High praises him. It is no wonder he turns tongue-tied. "Leave the rest to us, yeah?"
"Y-Yes!"
Umemiya laughs good-naturedly. "No need to be nervous! What class are you in, Nirei?"
"Um." He takes a moment to think, remembering the blurry class distribution. Other than spotting his own name and class, he did not recall any other name. Finding someone from Bofurin took precedence. "It's Class 1-1, I think."
"That's Sugishita and Sakura's class, too," Hiragi throws in, worry bleeding into his voice.
Umemiya's smile is suddenly filled with silent trepidation.
"Let's go to the broadcast room," the other suggests with no room for discussion. Hiragi pins Nirei down with a dead look. "Nirei, go to your class and don't die."
Die?
*
Even before standing in front of his class, Nirei could hear the commotion inside from the hallway. Multiple voices are talking over each other, not even trying to be quiet.
"I'll kill you!" a deep voice growls.
"Aha, how nice."
"That ain't 'nice'!" another voice denies frantically. "Someone, stop 'em!"
Something makes a loud crashing sound. The windows rattle at the sheer impact.
"If this continues, we won't have a classroom anymore!"
"They're monsters!"
And in all that chaos, somehow Sakura's voice is unmistakable. "I haven't even said anythin' before he tried to punch me!"
Nirei gulps fearfully in front of the classroom door. If he goes in, he will probably die, right? From all Furin High students, he is the only one who cannot fight. What if whatever fight in there evolves into an all-out brawl?
This is probably what Hiragi predicted would happen!
Wait, why did Umemiya and Hiragi want to go to the broadcast room anyway?
"Stooooooooooop!"
Umemiya's voice blares out from the speakers in deafening volume. Nirei only has enough time to slap his hands over his ringing ears, his classmates managing to yell out surprised, "Yikes!" or "Shit!" in response.
"This is Bofurin's representative speaking, Umemiya Hajime! Stop fighting!"
Oh. That is their plan.
"You're too loud! We'll get noise complaints!" Hiragi scolds from the speakers. "Everyone can hear you!"
"Ehh, really? I thought if I'm loud that they'll stop faster, though..."
Nirei opens his classroom door. They actually stopped; it is completely silent in there.
Sugishita is staring at the speakers in a fascinated fashion, his nose bloody and looking painful. Opposite from him stands Sakura, unruffled. He is the only person who meets his eyes when he opens the door, everyone else focused on the speaker and standing in the back of the classroom.
The classroom, meanwhile, is a mess. Chairs and tables are overturned, the teacher's desk is in shambles and one window has a big hole. Though, if the hole has been there before or after is debatable.
"Nirei."
Nirei flinches as Sakura materializes in front of him, even if the other keeps a respectful distance between them. "Sakura...-san?"
"Where were you?" Sakura gestures to the classroom where Umemiya is talking about youth or some other in the speaker, bewitching the others. "You weren't here. The girl you saved and who asked for my help also searched for you."
Asked for my help, he says. She already saw him looking into the alley while searching for help. She did not ask him specifically for help.
What a misleading thing to say. If Nirei had not talked with her before, would he have been fooled, too? Played like a fiddle?
"I had something to do," Nirei replies shortly, squeezing past the other with a curtness that surprises even himself. Sakura looks shocked. "Excuse me."
He does not want to get used like that. It neither protects nor helps anyone. Such behavior will only get others hurt.
The moment Sakura shows his true colors, he will get purged just like any other.
*
The mood in the classroom is tense.
It did not get better even after Sugishita bit out a reluctant apology for attacking Sakura. And the only reason he even bothered is because Suo cited what Umemiya would think for doing the only thing he should not have done.
Nirei hears the others whisper between themselves, voices hushed. "These kicks were godly."
"He hit him twice! On the nose!"
Another one appears unsure. "Yeah, it's cool... but also bad, y'know?"
An outsider and potential spy hit one of the strongest guys in this school without getting harmed. Their worry is reasonable; currently, they only know about some cases of manipulation, but what about his fighting prowess?
In addition, everyone is clearly keeping their distance from Sakura. No one took their time to approach him, wary of the information they heard from Bofurin. The fact that Umemiya knew that someone is fighting without even being in the same room... It shows just how cautious Bofurin is against Sakura.
"Nire-kun," a gentle voice calls.
Nirei turns to meet a reddish-brown eye. That eyepatch and these earrings! "Y-You're Suo-san!"
"That's what everyone calls me," Suo informs cheerfully, stepping closer. "You arrived pretty late to the party, didn't you?"
He is so smiley and calm! This is not how he has pictured Suo at all! "Uh, yes, I was busy..."
"Busy? On the first day of school?"
"It was urgent," Nirei explains, finding himself sweating under Suo's perceptive gaze.
Suo hums contemplatively and folds his hands behind his back. "I see. I hope it didn't have anything to do with Umemiya-san?"
"Huh? How do you–"
The classroom door snaps open. "Hey, you guys!" an older student hollers. "Let's go outside, no buts."